Week 53 – Goodbye December

And just like that, another week, another month and another year has come and gone.   Busy 7 days!

Last week was interesting to say the least.     I ran!!  Some at least.  However, sleep was not my friend and by the end of the week it was all I could just to get through the day.  The long days.  But let’s back up.

Monday- 4.5 miles A day off work means I have to run right?  It’s like a rule, right?  I waited until what I hoped was the warmest part of the day and headed out.  The whole flu thing turned me into a big baby in the cold.  😛  Man, was I slow.  But I ran!!!    I thought I would feel miserable after such a lackluster month of December but other being slow, I felt pretty good.  I think I was just excited to be running.


And then Monday night.  Everything was normal until I tried to go to sleep and failed.  I tossed and turned and paced.  Covers on, covers off, sitting up, laying down, 2 pillows, 1 pillow, no pillows.  I felt like my heart was racing and I could not fall asleep.  I even texted my boss at 2:30 AM to let her know I may not be on time to work because of this.   Don’t worry, I didn’t wake her- I know she puts her phone on do not disturb but I figured this way she would see it first thing in the morning.   I was also hoping that taking that little stressor away would help me sleep.  Yeah, not really.  I dozed a bit between 2:30 and 4 but that was it.  90 minutes of crap sleep.  Sounds like a recipe for success, right?   I was up and oddly energized so off to work I went for a very busy Tuesday.

Tuesday night– more of the same.   What the hell?!  This was a slight improvement in that I think I managed around 3 hours of sleep.   Oh yay.  All right, Wednesday, let’s do this.

Wednesday night– about 4 hours of sleep.  Ok now, this is getting ridiculous.  By Thursday, the cumulative fatigue was adding up and I was fading.    Combine a day where we down 2 people at work, a vital piece of equipment broke and we were so busy that I didn’t get to lunch until after 3:30 and I was fried.   I had brought my running gear with me to go for a run but I barely had enough energy in me to just drive home after work.  There was no running that night.

Friday- Rest  Yeah, Thursday night saw about 5 hours of sleep and I worked open to close.  That same piece of equipment was still broken 1/2 the day and we were still down 2 people, it was a much calmer day though and we all made it through.  Woo hoo!  From there I only had one more work shift to get through.

Saturday- Rest   I wanted to run, I really did.   I worked in the morning- maybe my last Saturday shift?!?!- and while I had actually slept the night before, the damage of the sleepless week had caught up to me.  I was so damn tired.  My New Year’s Eve was spent chillin’ in my chair watching Netflix.   Party animal right?  😛

img_0413

That brought my December mileage to a stellar 14.74 miles.   I think that may be the lowest month since I started tracking years ago.    Oops.     That also brought my 2016 mileage total to 851 miles.  Highest number yet!


Sunday- 5 miles  My Smashrun politely told me that this was my longest run in a month.   I’m trying a new strategy with my long runs and while this wasn’t exactly long I figured why not?  I recently bought a book on Galloway’s Run-Walk-Run method and thought why not?   So I tried intervals of 3:00 run and 1:00 walk for this run.  I was still slow but I wasn’t miserable.  I also noticed that I had more energy at the top of the last hill.   Now, let me clear, I’ve been running for 6 years and I have never run this hill, just walking up it kicks my ass, I felt a little less tired this time though.   Granted it could have been a fluke.  I’m still not sold but I’m giving it a try.

9.5 miles for the week.    Not great but it’s a start right?  I have plans for 2017 so time to stop Slacking!  Ok, well not completely.  😛

How was your New Years?

How was your week?

Can you function on little sleep?

Happy 2017!

 

 

17 thoughts on “Week 53 – Goodbye December”

  2. I don’t seem to need a lot of sleep, average around 4 hours a night but I if I miss a nights sleep I’m a zombie! My other half is a nightmare if he doesn’t get his 9 hours! Happy New Year

    Like

  4. I used to be very sleep ‘needy’ … but now cruise on ~4-5 hours a night. Here was the change – My wife was very sick after having our second son, who also took a couple of trips to the NICU during the 2 weeks my wife was in the hospital after the birth. It took her ~9 months to be ‘normal’, during which I was working full time, commuting ~1 hour each way, and trying to do as much as I could to lighten her load … so sleep was sacrificed, as was sleeping deeply, and in nearly 19 years that hasn’t changed.

    We had a great New Year’s – our younger son was in Ithaca with his significant other for a few days, but our older son hung out ice skating outside at the Corning town rink (it was snowing out lightly and ~35F, making it absolutely perfect), we headed home and Danny’s best friend came over after work. Lisa was out around 10:30, I made it (barely) to midnight … and we slept in to almost 9AM (yay patient dogs!).

    I took a rest day today (first since Christmas), because my body said so 🙂 But I’d run >100 miles since then, and yesterday my body was starting to ‘talk to me’, so today I listened. My basic mantra is that if it is a weekend and Lisa isn’t working, I don’t run. Otherwise I run.

    Like

    1. That must have been a very scary time for your family, I’m glad everything turned out well.
      I haven’t seen snow in years and even then only once. I would like to see it again but I’m also not tolerating the cold the like I used to. And we only get into the 20’s and 30’s, this year I just feel frozen.
      Over 100 miles since Christmas?!?! Wow!!! That’s intense! Nice running!

      Like

  5. We are seriously like the same person. I get SO little sleep. I have so much trouble for some reason and like you, have tried several things to help it 😦 I hope we figure out something!! xoxo!

    Like

    1. I’ve been trying essential oils too, they do help a little but not much. I think I would completely fall apart if I couldn’t stay in bed late one weekend morning, that seems to be the only time I get decent sleep. That only works because I don’t have children though. There has to be a better way!

      Liked by 1 person

  6. Oh dude. I’ve had one or two sleepless nights like that, but never that many in a row (I say that now… I’m sure things will be different when there’s a newborn thrown into the mix!). That’s rough. 😦 Serious props for going to work through all of it, I would have been mighty tempted to use a sick day and try to sleep.

    My NYE sounds like yours – Netflix and sitting somewhere cozy! That’s how I like it 🙂 And well done for taking down that hill!! I have a feeling it won’t be the last time 🙂

    Like

    1. Don’t get me wrong, I was tempted! I have the hardest time actually using my sick time for some reason, I’m not sure why. I really need to get over that.
      That hill is a beast, I don’t know if I will ever run it but at least I no longer feel like I am going to pass out going up it anymore. When I first started running I thought it was going to break me! 🙂

      Like

  7. Life happens right. I’m sure we have all been in this situation, I know I have. Hoping you get more rest in the coming weeks.

    New years was pretty low key for us. Home by 9pm, watched the NY ball drop, played board games, then watched the AZ ball drop. Everyone sleeping by 1215 lol

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I’m a restless sleeper so anything less then my normal pittance has me falling apart. For splits and elevation, I still rely on Garmin… and Strava. I love the layout and functionality of Smashrun. It’s easy to set monthly/ yearly goals and see your progress. You can customize it as well. Plus it occasionally gives you badges for jobs well done. It’s one of my favorites.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. I’ve been playing with it for the past few days and I love seeing what healthy and unhealthy things I can eat. Someone I know can eat a whole roasted chicken after her runs. LOL. Puts me to shame.

        Like

Comments are closed.